Conventional messaging applications allow users to share textual messages with one another in various formats using a variety of wireless communication protocols. In addition to sharing text based messages, some messaging applications allow users to share multimedia with one another, such as pictures, music, or videos. Sharing multimedia via messaging applications in addition to and/or in the alternative to text offers a richer and more emotional and engaging form of expression.
Generally, the multimedia available for selection by a user for sharing with another user in a messaging session is owned by the user and/or stored at the user's device. Users can also share links to multimedia objects (e.g., pictures, videos, songs, etc.) provided by various networked content providers. By limiting users to multimedia located on their devices, the users are deprived of a world of other multimedia options that could greatly enhance his or her messaging experience. In addition, by requiring the user to find a multimedia item provided by an external content provider in the middle of a conversation, the task of finding multimedia for sharing becomes the user's primary concern over engaging in the messaging session at hand.